The surgery will be performed as part of her long-term recovery, doctors treating her at a British hospital have said.

The 15-year-old was shot in Pakistan in October 2012. She was later transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham city for specialist treatment, where she is currently recovering from her injuries.

She would undergo cranial reconstruction surgery in late January or early February as part of her long-term recovery, Dave Rosser, medical director, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said in a statement.

Malala, meanwhile, is likely to get a permanent residence in Britain after her father was given a job with the Pakistani consulate in Birmingham.

Ziauddin Yousafzai has been appointed education attache for three years, with the option of a two-year extension afterwards.